Author's Note: I'm hoping that putting this at the beginning will draw attention to it. Just so that everyone is clear on the nature of this story, I thought I might answer a few questions that I've received. This will be a Hermione-Edward romance, and no, Bella and Jacob won't enter into this fic. I am, however, contemplating a sequel – if I ever finish this story! – where Bella and Jacob will be present. Now, on to the chapter!
- - - -
Dinner was an awkward affair. There were several attempts at conversation, but they didn't last. Her new family was doing very well, especially considering their apparent hatred toward Ron – which, admittedly, Hermione was quite curious about – but her friends were considerably less amenable.
She could understand that they were stunned at her appearance, and possibly angry that she hadn't mentioned anything of the like in her letter, but they said very little. The debacle was made much worse by the fact that she and the other vampires could not eat, and therefore could not pretend to be too occupied with that task to speak. They mostly conversed among themselves at low decibels that went unheard by the typical human ear while poking around at the food in front of them.
"This is ludicrous," Rosalie said sharply. "Why are we here?"
Jasper growled at her, and Edward shot her a brief, but intense glare. Alice raised her eyebrows at Hermione and muttered, "I wouldn't worry about Rosalie. She's not especially kind to anyone."
Hermione thanked her, but apologized to the family as a whole for the fourth time.
"Don't apologize," Esme comforted. "This must be a surprise to them. Give them time."
Hermione hummed in soft agreement, but still found herself to be rather peeved.
"So," Harry said slowly, "can you run over how… this happened?"
Hermione sighed, and focused on slowing her voice once more. It was awkward – talking in slow motion – and difficult to maintain. "I went to Forks with my parents to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I was on my way to the American equivalent of the Leaky Cauldron, but the taxi driver was moving rather quickly and it was wet outside. Then we crashed, and I suppose that's when this," she motioned at herself, "happened."
"This is a good look for you, Hermione," Fred assured her, mocking Harry's original use of the word 'this.'
"This is going to get our little brother into serious trouble," George snorted and pointed at Ron with his fork.
Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust. She'd been entirely aware of Ron's unnecessary attention. She could understand that he was shocked, but this was entirely too uncomfortable. None of the others had stared at her this way!
"None of the others have thought anything quite so lurid, either," Edward snarled under his breath, startling Hermione with his ferocity.
"Ronald," Mrs. Weasley finally snapped at him, "have an ounce of respect for Hermione, and if you lack the consideration to complete that task, have an ounce of respect for yourself. Your behavior is rather unseemly."
"S-Sorry Mum," he grumbled, averting his eyes.
A moment after, while the table was shrouded in silence once again, Jasper tensed to Hermione's left, along with the other vampires. Hermione choked as she unexpectedly heaved in a breath of air – disgusting, putrid air. Her instincts flipped on instantly and she stood rapidly, snarling in the direction of the door. She was not alone. The rest of her 'family' had done the same.
"I'm sorry I'm late!" Remus called from the front door, then grew quieter as he slowly drew nearer.
A low rumble fell from somewhere in the back of Hermione's throat as he opened the kitchen door. Inexplicable anger and hatred poured off of her in waves, and she bared her teeth at Remus, who was instantly on his guard and, consequently, he growled in return.
"We should go," Carlisle ground out through clenched teeth. "Apologies for the sudden departure."
He was stiff, too, but slowly moved his muscles enough to nudge his family members into acquiescence. Hermione was more than reluctant to move, suddenly overcome by an overwhelming urge to rip Remus apart, very slowly, limb from limb. Emmett wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind – giving him a better chance at holding her off, should she decide to put her newborn strength to use – and stonily pushed her toward the foyer where they had entered.
Remus stepped aside, a hand covering his nose to make the attempt more successful. Hermione struggled to brush by him without sinking her teeth into his shoulder – the closest of all his body parts – but Emmett kept his grip firm and skirted them around Remus, so that they never touched him.
Hermione's breath came in short intervals, until she realized that it might be more idyllic for her if she stopped breathing altogether. She closed her eyes and ground her teeth roughly.
"Are we leaving?" She asked finally, unable to prevent the harsh tone that fell forth. She'd never taken well to having her control stripped away.
Jasper reached for her hand, but she pulled away from it and him. He looked hurt and confused until Alice whispered something in his ear and he nodded slightly. Hermione rapidly and unnaturally lost sight of all of her anger and felt intensely weary, instead.
Hermione's mind touched on several topics and emotions before she gathered enough strength to reign all of her thoughts in. She felt Carlisle leading her towards the fireplace, and was too physically and mentally exhausted to insist that they should floo first. She landed shakily at the Cullens' home – my home, she coached.
She would never fully adjust to living with a new family or in a new home if she could not regard the family and home as hers.
Quickly stepping out of the way as Rosalie and Emmett flooed through, Hermione sat down on the couch and placed her head in her hands tiredly. She had downplayed her thoughts into submission, and she reveled in the utter silence that she had created – a sanctuary, of sorts, within her mind.
"Never once did you mention Children of the Moon," Rosalie accused, hissing.
"I wasn't aware that they would be a problem," Hermione responded tonelessly, easily inferring that 'Children of the Moon' was how they referred to werewolves. "If I had known, I might have thought it significant to mention."
The others quickly fell from the flames in front of her, anxious to be rid of the tense environment and rancid stench at Grimmauld Place.
Jasper crouched in front of Hermione and rubbed his hand over her knee lightly, urging her to look up at him. "Stop," he pleaded. "All vampires have violent reactions to werewolves."
- - - -
Edward studied Hermione carefully, eyeing her defeated position and weary eyes. She'd emptied her thoughts, but he couldn't tell if she'd pulled them away from him, or had forced herself to stop thinking entirely. Either way she had unfortunate timing, because he needed to know what she was thinking.
Although he didn't really understand why he needed to know.
The conversation between Jasper and Hermione seemed to be a very private dealing; even Alice minded her distance and hovered by the mantle. Edward strained his hearing to listen in.
"He's a friend," Hermione murmured to Jasper, maintaining her detached tone. "He's been nothing but kind to me since the day I met him. And I didn't just want to kill him, Jasper… I wanted to annihilate him; I wanted gore. I wanted him to be unrecognizable when I was finished with him."
Jasper did not respond. Edward thought that it was the best course of action, because there was really no available response that would lift Hermione's spirits. But Edward watched with perhaps a small measure of envy as Jasper lightly squeezed Hermione's hand and soothed small circles on her palm.
It wasn't specifically his connection with Hermione that Edward was jealous of, but more that his talent for reading people's emotions guided him toward the right thing to say or do at the right time. It might be nice, Edward thought, to have someone willingly share all of their thoughts, for a change.
A few moments after Jasper and Hermione halted their discussion, Carlisle stood and pushed his hands in his pockets – a sure sign that they were about to have a family discussion.
"It seems," Carlisle offered a tender and sympathetic smile to Hermione, "that there are a few complications that should be settled."
Hermione ducked her head.
"We had not thought to mention Children of the Moon, because it has been quite some time since we last encountered them, but perhaps now is the time to discuss them. It is quite… rare, shall we say, for vampires and Children of the Moon to associate. It's involved somewhere in our genetics, but for as long as anyone can recall, we have always been naturally disagreeable in regards to one another."
"That was not disagreeable," Hermione growled. "That was so beyond disagreeable that I can't even find a proper word to describe it. And, damn it, I never struggle to find words!"
Emmett chuckled appreciatively.
"That man is a friend to me – a very good friend, and a very kind man. So help me if I can't find a way to be around him without aching to destroy him," Hermione said fiercely. She reached up to massage her jaw, and Edward assumed that her muscles had tensed. "Excuse me," she muttered, standing and moving toward the front door. "I think I'll explore your property, if you don't mind?"
"Of course not," Esme said consolingly.
"Would you like me to come with you?" Alice offered, extending a friendly smile.
"No," Hermione shook her head. "But thank you."
She bolted out of the door, and Edward noticed a slightly pained expression on Jasper's countenance before he decided to speak. He wasn't sure when it would next be convenient to broach the subject without Hermione present, so he decided that now would probably be best.
"We have to take her to Italy, soon," he reminded them quietly.
"I think I'm more afraid for the Volturi than I am for her," Emmett grinned. "She's got a lot of fire in her."
Edward exchanged a small look with Alice, who frowned, and he mulled over her thoughts when she brought her newest vision to the forefront of her mind. He didn't see anything especially horrifying about it, but Alice seemed displeased.
"You said she was pretty," Rosalie said, rapidly changing the subject after a brief period of silence. "You didn't say she was that pretty."
"Don't be so conceited," Edward remarked. "She's not particularly concerned with her appearance, if it's of any comfort to you. She hasn't even seen herself, yet."